Destructive Tongues
By Lance Landall

Okay, so you’ve heard this about me, or you’ve heard that about me,
Well, isn’t that interesting, though incorrect, predictably.
Now, if you had sought me out — yes, if you had sought to check with me,
You would have very soon discovered that what you heard was faulty.

Although I shouldn’t worry about what any may say of me,
It’s sad if they say wrong things, and you become an accessory,
For you are aiding and abetting what you just
assume is true
Which is foolish to say the least, and something that you could well rue.

It could be that it is partly true,
half true, even
almost true,
But it’s that part that isn’t true that a great deal of harm could do.
Hence why it’s always better to check with the one who it’s about,
Or to simply just not repeat such, and err on the side of doubt.

Yes, so many good reputations are ruined because of such talk,
Talk that is pure and simple gossip, which away from, all should walk,
For often someone’s turn-around is torpedoed right in its tracks,
Simply because of a false rumour or distorting of the facts.

“I heard it on the grapevine,” are some words from a song I have heard,
And oh, how true it proves to be, along with, what is overheard.
Yes, it’s time that this old grapevine was taken to with secateurs,
Or even better still, uprooted, ’midst loud claps and hearty cheers.

“Don’t speak ill of the dead,” you hear folk say — yet, the
living attack,
Via their poisonous gossiping behind somebody else’s back.
While we all should respect the dead, let us respect the living too,
And stop this dreadful gossiping, lest we slander or good undo.

It’s high time that the old rumour-mill was stopped from grinding away,
Besides, it’s better that we approach those of whom such things they say.
Yes, best we ignore, or check it out — get it from the horse’s mouth,
As then we'll undoubtedly stop the truth from disappearing south.